HUDSON Ė With the search on for a new middle school principal, residents told school administrators Monday the next principal needs to focus on building a culture at the new three-grade middle school.

Brian Daniels, the middle school principal the past five years, announced last month he is leaving at the end of the school year to become the principal of Monomoy Regional Middle School on Cape Cod.

Danielsí successor must continue the middle school administrationís work to create a school community and culture at the recently opened Quinn Middle School, residents told school officials Monday. The new middle school houses students in grades 5-7.

"We knew it was going to take multiple years to build a Quinn Middle School environment and culture," said High School Principal Brian Reagan, who is the chairman of the middle school principal screening committee.

Residents also hope the next principal will value the opinions of teachers, students and parents, said Reagan.

The district received 33 applications during the past month, said Reagan.

"Itís certainly a healthy number," he said.

The screening committee, which is made up of administrators, teachers and parents, are reviewing the applications and will choose between six and nine candidates to interview. The committee will then recommend three or four finalists to Superintendent Kevin Lyons, said Reagan.

The district will hold a public forum with the finalists April 9 at Quinn Middle School and Lyons hopes to name Danielsí successor April 15.

To submit feedback on the search process visit www.hudson.k12.ma.us.

Jeff Malachowski can be reached at 508-490-7466 or jmalachowski@wickedlocal.com. Follow him on Twitter @JmalachowskiMW.